Sunday, March 27, 2011

Historical and literary value of Shahnama

Historical and literary value of Shahnama:
The Shahnama of Firdausi is valuable source of information regarding the civilization, customs, traditions and manners of ancient Iran. It deals not only with war and peace but also gives an account of the social and cultural advancement of Iran through different periods.
The historical importance of Shahnama is evident from its verses in which the poet, depicting the illustrious past of his motherland, has appealed the Iranians for rebuilding and reviving the past glory of Iran.
The Iranian possesses a long record of historic past. They produced great warriors, generals and fighting. This ancient land of Asia is proud of fighting the Romans against the Arabs. Iran produced the legendry Rustam, Sohrab, Afrasiyab, Shapur the great, Sam, Naiman, Darius, Cyrus the great and Naushirvan the just, to name a few, but the Iranian prestige had suffered a setback by the Arab conquest of Persia, as the country was known earlier. Hence the national pride of the Iranians desperately wanted an outlet to manifest its zeal and fervour and this was provided by the immortal literary work, the Shahnama.
The book is based on the history of iran from the time of the first mystical king Kaymurus to the downfall of Yazdgard, the last Sassanian king. Accounts of the ministers, nobles and warriors and stories of wars and feast are also incorporated in the Shahnama.
The history treated in Shahnama is of three categories. The first part of the epic is mystical, the second being semi-historical and third part is pure history dealing with the Sassanian dynasty. Had Firdausi not composed the mystical and semi-historical parts, the present day would have remained ignorant of their great ancestors and their glorious deeds.
The historical account contained in Shahnama is quite authentic because Firdausi is careful enough to note the source of his information. There is no other historical work so authentic than the Shahnama on the ancient Iran. Inspite of its literary value, it is also a historical document which describes the religious, political and social condition of ancient Iran and gives an authentic account of the morals, manners, customs and traditions of the Iranians. It depicts the war and territorial expansion of Iran, the exploits of its heroes, the spiritual force of the mystics, the advent of Zaratushtra (Zoroaster) and his religion and various other important events of this great country.
By Shahnama, Firdausi has preserved for ever the national history of Iran and rescued it from oblivion and at the same time, he has immortalized himself through this great work, the product of his life-time labor and devotion as he himself says;


The language of Shahnama is as strong as steel, yet as smooth as running water. It is extremely simple and unadorned and from the beginning to its end the style of Shahnama is uniform and consistent.
The national pride of Firdausi did not allow him to use the works and expression of the foreign and hostile country of Arabia. Naturally, we find very little use of Arabic words and phrases in the Shahnama.
Since the Shahnama deals with the pre-historic era, Firdausi had often to reconstruct the events by his own imagination. Moreover, like a true epic poet, he has portrayed the different charactrs in their respective style and manner.
Though Shahnama is an epic poem, we find some verses of fine romantic nature, and nowhere Firdausi appears to trespass the limits of modesty and decorum. The love affairs between Bizan and Moniza, Sohrab and Mah Afrid, Zal and Rudaba are beautiful specimens of romantic Persian poetry.
Firdausi often uses beautiful and appropriate sceneries in Shahnama but never does he indulge in excessive use of rhetoric and flowery expressions. Even if he uses them occasionally, the subject matter never looses its fluency, charm and vividness.
Therefore, on account of the historical importance and literary value of Shahnama, Firdausi is still regarded as the master of epic poetry. Allama Ibn Asir has termed the Shahnama as 'the Quran of Ajam' and Sir Gore Ousely has called Firdausi 'the Homer of Persian'.

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